The Joy of Last-Minute Dinners
Let's bring it back
I’m guilty. I don’t host last minute anymore.
Not because I don’t want to, but because somehow, without realizing it, the whole JOSI vibe has put a little pressure on my hosting (pressure I’ve put on myself, obviously). I feel like I can’t just throw something together and call it a night. And while I always aim for a relaxed vibe, the prep is anything but relaxed. The menu, the flowers, the table…
We also seem to plan everything way too far in advance these days. Is that just part of being an adult?
And honestly, I miss the random, casual Tuesday dinners.
The ones where I call a couple of friends at 5pm and say “Pasta at mine?”. Where I’d throw together a simple salad with great dressing, a bowl of something comforting and that’s it. No theatrics. No over-the-top table. Just good, homey food, good conversation, and everyone home by 10.30, happy.
Maybe it’s time to bring that back.
Disclaimer: I’ll always take the time to set a nice table and serve good food, but there’s a big difference between a full-on production and a beautifully simple dinner that doesn’t take hours to pull off.
How to actually host last-minute (and not overthink it)
The Mindset - Let Go of Perfection
A last minute dinner is just about having friends around for a nice, cosy time because we all need it. So no one expects elaborate dishes and flower centerpieces. Repeat this a couple of times.
The Menu - Keep it simple
A good pasta or ready-cooked roast chicken
My go-to is lemon pasta. It’s easy, quick and made with ingredients you likely already have: lemon, eggs and cream.
Skye McAlpine’s recipe of creamy lemon pasta is my go-to.
A great salad with great dressing.
Learn how to make one solid dressing, and you’re set. It sounds basic, but trust me, people always love a well-dressed salad.
My go-to is what they call French Dressing: whisk 1 tsp Dijon mustard with 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt. You could even add a bit of honey or switch the Dijon mustard for a whole grain mustard for a different vibe.
A couple of cheeses with great bread.
I’m French so a cheese board is second-nature, effortless and so comforting. It’s also my favorite part of the meal: guests indulge, conversation flows, and dinner lingers.
Ice-cream and red berries.
When in doubt and in a rush, swing by your favourite ice-cream shop or just get your favourite ice-cream. I always keep small bowls of raspberries and blueberries, light and fresh to end the meal.
The Table - Your Everyday Pieces
A few well-chosen, understated pieces can instantly make your table look great, polished but never trying too hard.
Bowls from left to right:
White & Blue, Lacquered Brown, Blue & Yellow Flowers, Beige with Amber & Green, Totally Blue.
Glasses from left to right:
Set of 6 Not-Matching Tumblers, Perfect Everyday Wine, Scalloped Wine Glass, Yellow Wine Glass.
I could have added all the colours, you just need to choose your vibe.
Bamboo Vibe, Pink Vibe, Red Vibe.
From left to right:
Like an orange jewel, Fish carafe, Golden grey, Stripes for days, Dots for days, The leafy one.
Forever Flowers
Either faux-flowers that are as perfect if not better than real ones that you can reuse over and over again or glass flowers which are my favourites and only need a couple for it to already be a statement.
The only glass flowers you’ll need by Sandra Alexandra. Here, I styled them in a beautiful vase by Anissa Kermiche. You can bend them, add real flowers, be creative!
The Forever Flowers from Ett Hem, trust me, they look real. I love having different types at home. As much as I love fresh flowers, sometimes time isn’t on my side, or it’s the full-on winter and good seasonal flowers are impossible to find. When that happens, these are the perfect solution.
Below is a bouquet I made with Ett Hem Forever Flowers but I can take some there and put them in small vases (again an Anissa Kermiche vase) for a last minute dinner!
Always add candles. Nothing fancy. A couple of candles on your table and the mood is instantly different!
Stay cosy until next time!
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Lemon pasta is also my go-to! 😉
Looooove this so relatable